Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership with Ruth Haley Barton

This week concludes our conversations with Curt Thompson, MD. Ruth and Curt examine what makes for a safe community. Why is it important to experience places of tension, hurt, and repair in the community? They also discuss the meaning of a hope that does not disappoint or put to shame. And as we turn our attention to Holy Week, they wonder: What is a psychologically healthy way to understand the c...

How does endurance or perseverance fit into this process of having a durable hope formed in us? How do we know we are making progress in this endeavor? What do we do with the stories we tell ourselves about the parts of us that are unlovable or unwantable, and how does bringing those parts before a loving and safe community change us? Ruth and Curt tackle these questions and more in this week’s ep...

This week we are taking a break from our conversations with Curt and his book The Deepest Place to talk about a different aspect of suffering: the communal, unmerited suffering that comes from oppression. Friend of the Transforming Center, Leo Ayala, is back with us to discuss this important topic. Leo and Ruth talk about the suffering his community in Puerto Rico has suffered as a part of the col...

What does God’s glory have to do with our suffering? How do we wrestle with the crucifixion of Christ and the issue of atonement as it relates to suffering and God’s anger? How do we determine when we are the cause of our own suffering, when it’s someone else’s doing or when we are being invited by God to join in the suffering of Jesus? Ruth and Curt tackle these questions and more in today’s epis...

In this episode, Ruth and Curt dive all the way into the deep end as they discuss attachment, attunement, and internal family systems. The pair also tackle the importance of embodiment in this healing work of suffering and durable hope. Curt also has some thoughtful questions for Ruth about the role suffering has played in her life and leadership. Over on Patreon, Curt introduces an exercise that...

What does suffering have to do with our transformation? That is the question Ruth and Curt explore this season on the podcast! In today’s episode, they discuss how the Christian story is the only one that honors suffering, the difference between suffering and pain, what shame has to do with it, and how suffering differently can lead to durable hope. On patreon, Curt leads us in a practice that hel...

Lent is upon us again. In this special bonus episode, Ruth shares her remarks from our recent live, virtual event designed to help us prepare for Lent. Lent is for everyone, but it has a special application for spiritual leaders, providing a needed opportunity to “fashion our own wilderness” (Henri Nouwen) and return to God with all our hearts. On this Ash Wednesday, we invite you to take some tim...

We were so lucky to have Scott Erickson on the podcast this season! Not only did he share his wisdom and thoughtfulness, but he also shared his art and his spiritual director expertise! Over on Patreon each week we chose one of the pieces of art discussed in the episode and Scott walked us through a Visio Divina practice with that image. As a Christmas gift to all our listeners we wanted to share...

See the image discussed in today’s episode HERE .   We’ve reached the end of our Advent journey. Ruth, Scott, and Charity come together one last time to wonder where God is in the darkness, the unfolding, and the journey. Scott shares a story of God’s intimate revelation during his own pilgrimage, and the three ponder how we move from revelation to participation. They also discuss the Magi’s journ...

See the image discussed in today’s episode HERE .   Ruth, Scott, and Charity continue their journey through Advent with a conversation around Scott’s pieces, Sacred and Mighty. With these images, they explore where God is in our humanity, in our broken, imperfect bodies, and in the mightiness God displayed when he came to earth in the form of a tiny baby, choosing to go through the world in all hi...

See the image discussed in today’s episode HERE .   This week, as Ruth, Scott, and Charity examine Scott’s “cover” of Sister Grace Remington’s beautiful painting Mary and Eve , they delve into womanhood, mothering, and the invitation to embrace vulnerability this advent. Why is it so scandalous to talk about God as a mother? What does the vulnerability of God coming into the world as a baby have t...

As we mark the first week of Advent we are examining the Annunciation. How do we define a revelation and what does it expose in us? What does a revelation do to our plans and certainty? Where is God in the midst of it all? Ruth, Charity and Scott discuss Mary’s response to the news of what God was doing in her, how we know when God is doing a new thing and why we can sometimes feel crazy when we s...

Advent is upon us again. This season, we’ve invited artist, author, and speaker Scott Erickson to join us. Transforming Center team member Charity McClure is also on the microphone. Together with Ruth, the three will discuss how an honest Advent leads to honest hope. Using images from his book, Honest Advent , they will explore issues of vulnerability, humanity, and uncertainty, all while wonderin...

Ruth sits down with producer Colleen to wrap up season 20 of the podcast. They share their learnings and highlights from these conversations and Ruth answers a listener's question about how to bring transformative worship to your congregation if you are not a part of the planning process. To close Ruth gives us a few key takeaways to help us understand and embody transformative worship.    This se...

David, Charity, and Leo return with Ruth to continue their conversation from last week. In an episode that could have been titled, “Confessions of Professional Christians,” these four vulnerably and candidly share their own struggles with perfectionism at the cost of transformation. David gives us incredible insight into the difference between a diverse community and a reconciling community. Chari...

We have a full house for today’s episode! Ruth and Rory are joined by David Bailey, Leo Ayala, and Charity McClure. Sunday morning continues to be the most segregated hour of the week and many of us find ourselves longing to worship alongside a community that reflects a beautiful diversity of age, race, gender, socioeconomic status and more. In this episode our brave participants discuss how littl...

We’re back! This season we’re focusing on worship, particularly worship that is transformative. Our season long guest is Rory Noland and we will be working with his book, Transforming Worship: Planning and Leading Sunday Services as If Spiritual Formation Mattered . In addition to Ruth and Rory, we will also be bringing other guests into the conversations about worship with spiritual formation at...

We’re back! This season we’re focusing on worship, particularly worship that is transformative. Our season long guest is Rory Noland and we will be working with his book, Transforming Worship: Planning and Leading Sunday Services as If Spiritual Formation Mattered . In addition to Ruth and Rory, we will also be bringing other guests into the conversations about worship with spiritual formation at...

We’re back! This season we’re focusing on worship, particularly worship that is transformative. Our season long guest is Rory Noland and we will be working with his book, Transforming Worship: Planning and Leading Sunday Services as If Spiritual Formation Mattered . In addition to Ruth and Rory, we will also be bringing other guests into the conversations about worship with spiritual formation at...

Today we are sharing a clip from an episode that was released over on Patreon. This is a conversation between Rory and Ruth about what they both consider to be the principles of transforming worship. They draw from the ideas in Rory’s book and from their work together in Transforming Community. If you are not already a patron, may we humbly ask that you consider supporting the work of this podcast...

We’re back! This season we’re focusing on worship, particularly worship that is transformative. Our season long guest is Rory Noland and we will be working with his book, Transforming Worship: Planning and Leading Sunday Services as If Spiritual Formation Mattered . In addition to Rory and Ruth, we will also be bringing other guests into the conversations about worship with spiritual formation at...

This is a replay of an episode we released only to patrons of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons.    Please visit our website to learn more about the work of The Transforming...

This is a replay of an episode we released only to patrons of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons.    Please visit our website to learn more about the work of The Transforming...

This is a replay of a previous episode of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons. Please enjoy this episode from Season 17: Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sa...

This is a replay of a previous episode of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons. Please enjoy this episode from Season 16: Transforming Leadership: Managing Anxiety Within our C...